Reclining-chair fixture.



N0. 642,0l0. Patented Jan. 23, I900. W. J. SENG.

RE GLINING CHAIR FIXTURE.

(Application filed Dec. 23, 1899.)

No Model.)

' rho STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lVILLIAM J. SENG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RECLlNlNG-CHAIR FIXTURE.

SPEGIFIGA'IION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,010, dated January 23, 1900.

Application filed December 23,1899. Serial No. 741,411. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM J. SENG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reclining-Chair Fixtures; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a novel construction in a reclining-chair fixture, the object being to provide a device of this character of very simple and efficient construction which can be readily operated by the occupant of the chair without leaving same to adjust the back to any desired position; and it consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a reclining-chair provided with a fixture constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of one part of my invention, showing the other part in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing the two positions of my device. Fig. is a top plan of the rod connecting the back with the arms.

My device is designed particularly for the class of chairs known as Morris chairs, which consist of a rigid chair-body A, having arms B rigid therewith and a pivoted back C for adjusting the position of which various devices have been designed.

My device consists of clutch members D, one of which is secured to each arm of the chair and is adapted to engage a rod E, pivotally secured to said back 0. Each of said cl utoh members D consists of a plate F, adapted to be secured to the lower face of the arm 15, and is provided on its side edges with J, between which said ears G are received, said flanges being of greater length than said plate, so that the latter depends below said ears G. The projecting portions of said flanges J, between which said ears G are received, are also perforated to receive said pin H, the ends of the latter being enlarged to form heads to prevent withdrawal of said pin, the latter being preferably a long rivet. The perforations through said flanges J are located out of the plane of the plate, thereby hanging the latter eccentrically or in such a manner that pressure applied to said plate in a vertical direction will turn same on its pivot, and, further, when perfectly free said plates will hang normally at an incline, thus having a tendency always to assume a position to clutch the rod. One of said flanges J is provided with a projection K, adapted to engage the lower edge of one of said ears G to limit the movement of said plate I in one direction, but'permitting it free motion in the other direction. In dotted lines, Fig. 3, I have shown said plate I at the forward limit of its movement, at which it stands practically perpendicular to said plate F. Said plate I is provided with an elongated slot L, of greater width than depth, through which .the rod E passes, thereby permitting said rod E some lateral motion, this being essential to obviate the necessity of accurately adjusting said rod E.

My device is operated in a very simple man ner, the occupant of the chair being required only to grasp the rods E and raise the same, therebybringing the plate I into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thus releasing said rods and permitting same to move forward and back freely. By so moving said rods until the back is in the desired position and then dropping same said rods Will be immediately clutched by said plates I, and thereby held against rearward movement.

The rods E are preferably the ends of a U-shaped rod extending across the back 0 and pivot-ally secured by means of plates M. The free ends of said rods E are bent downwardly to prevent the occupant of the chair from having his fingers caught between said ends and the clutch members.

I claim as my invention- 1. In areolining-chair, the combination with a chair-body having a pivoted back, and rods pivotally secured to said back, of clutches pivotally mounted uponarigid part of the chair and adapted to engage said rods to hold said back in any desired position, said clutches being pivoted at points eccentric to the parts engaging the rods, whereby they are adapted to be actuated to engage or release said rods by turning said rods on their pivots.

2. In areclining-chair, the'combination with a chair-body having a pivoted back, and rods pivotally secured to said back, of clutches secured to a rigid part of the chair and engaging the free ends of said rods, said clutches each including a depending plate having a slot through which said rods pass, and having a flange'extending transversely to said plate, said member being pivotally secured to said chair by means of a pin passing through said flange at a point out of the plane of said plate, whereby when pressure is applied to said plate by lowering or raising the free end of the rod, said plate will be turned on its pivot to engage and release the rod.

3. In a reclining-chair, the combination with a chair-body havinga pivoted back, and rods pivotally secured to said back, of clutches carried by a rigid part of the chair, said clutches each including a member having a slot through which a rod passes, said member being pivotally secured to said chair at a point offset from the plane of said member, whereby said clutches may be actuated by the movements of said rods.

4. Inareclining-chair,thecombination with a chair-body having arms, and a back pivotally mounted on said chair-body, of rods pivotally secured to said back and. passing underneath said arms, and clutches mounted on said arms and adapted to engage said rods, said clutches each including a depending member pivotally secured to each arm, the pivot being eccentric to the part engaging the rod, whereby said clutch is operated by raising and lowering the rod.

5. In a reclining-chair,the combination with achair-bodyhaving arms rigid therewith, and a pivoted back, of rods pivotally secured to said back and passing under said arms, and clutches carried by said arms and adapted to engage said rods, said clutches each comprising a plate secured to the arm and provided with a downwardly-extending projection, a plate provided with a slot through which the rod is adapted to pass and with flanges pivotally secured to said projection of said firstnamed plate, said last-named plate being pivoted at a point eccentric thereto, whereby same can be operated to engage or release the rod by pivotal movement of the latter.

6. In a recliningchair,the combination witlr a chair-body having arms rigid therewith, and a pivoted back, of rods pivotally secured to said back and passing under said arms, and clutches carried by said arms and adapted to engage said rods, said clutches each comprising a plate secured to the arm and provided with downwardly-extending parallel flanges, a plate provided with a slot through which the rod is adapted to pass and with parallel flanges pivotally secured to said flanges of said first-named plate, at a point offset from said slotted plate wherebythe latter can be operated to engage or release the rod by pivotal movement of the rod.

7. In a reclining-chair,the combination with a chair-bod y having arms rigid therewith, and a pivoted back, of rods pivotally secured to said back and passing under said arms, and clutches carried by said arms and adapted to engage said rods, said clutches each comprising a plate secured to the arm and provided with down wardly-extendin g parallel flanges, a plate provided with a laterally-elongated perforation through which said rod is adapted to pass and in which it has lateral play, and provided with parallel flanges pivotally secured to said flanges of said first-named plate, the pivot of said plate being eccentric thereto, whereby same can be operated to engage and release the rod by pivotal movement of the latter.

8. In a reclining-chair,the combination with a chair-body having arms rigid therewith, and a pivoted back, of rods pivotally secured to said back and extending underneath said arms, and clutches carried by said arms and adapted to engage said rods to hold said back in any desired position, each of said clutches comprising a plate secured to the lower face of the arm and provided with downwardlyextending parallel flanges, a plate provided with parallel flanges between which said flanges of said first-named plate are adapted to be received, perforations in all of said flanges, a pin passing through said perforations and pivotally securing said plates together, a projection on one of the flanges of said last-named plate adapted to engage one of the flanges of said first-named plate to limit the motion of said last-named plate in one direction, and a laterally-elongated, perforation in said last-named plate through which said rod is adapted to pass, whereby said rod is given lateral play, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. SENG.

Witnesses:

RUDOLPH WM. Lorz, E. F. WILSON. 

